Planned overnight closures on the Tyne Bridge for scaffolding removal

As work progresses on the multi-million-pound restoration of the Tyne Bridge, a series of overnight closures will be required over six weeks, starting on Monday.

With restoration now starting on the east footway of the bridge, scaffolding needs to be safely removed from the west footway, where work was recently completed.

The scaffolding, which spans from the underdeck of the bridge and up and over the bridge’s west parapets, is set be removed over a six-week period as this section of the bridge is now fully restored.

Due to the Tyne Bridge’s loading constraints, each phasing of the scaffolding is meticulously planned, and this scaffold will now be removed to allow for further sections to be installed as the restoration progresses.

To allow this to happen safely and to minimise disruption to the travelling public, overnight closures will be in place over six weeks. Starting on Monday 20 April until Friday 29 May, the Tyne Bridge will be closed to traffic from Mondays to Fridays, from 8pm until 6am. Some Saturday overnight closures may also be required within this period.

Access will remain open for pedestrians and cyclists throughout the road closures.

Restoration work has recently started on the east footway, where each section of steel will be grit blasted, repaired and painted in the final coat of Hollybush Green, for which the Tyne Bridge is famous for. This phase is expected to last until the autumn.

Christine Herriot, Director of City Operations, Transport & Neighbourhoods at Newcastle City Council, said: “We’ve just reached the two-year anniversary of the Tyne Bridge restoration works and people can really see the transformation that has taken place.

“It’s a challenging task, keeping the bridge open to traffic as we restore an icon to its former glory, but there are stages in the programme where overnight closures are unavoidable.

“However, we are making great progress, despite finding additional repairs and the programme remains on schedule to be complete for the centenary in 2028.”

North of England contractor, Esh Construction, is delivering the scheme in partnership with Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council.

Stephen McClean, Construction Manager at Esh Construction, said: “Working on a structure as complex and iconic as the Tyne Bridge requires an enormous amount of care and coordination. The scaffolding has played a vital role in allowing repairs to be carried out safely, and its removal marks another important step forward, while ensuring disruption is kept to a minimum for those who rely on the bridge.”

Over the last two years, various sections of the iconic structure has been wrapped in scaffolding as restoration works get underway. Within that time period, 1,500 repairs have been made, 4,000 rivets have been replaced and 7,000 litres of paint has been used.

Scaffolding will also begin on the bridge deck in Autumn 2026 to create a protection deck above the carriageway. This will pave the way for works to begin on the main bridge arch in 2027. The programme remains on schedule and is expected to be complete in time for the bridge’s centenary in 2028.

The Tyne Bridge multi-million-pound restoration is funded by the UK Government, as well as monies from the North East Combined Authority, Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council.